Brian Barton
Punjab, a region split between India and Pakistan, is facing a pollution crisis. In the Pakistani province, 1.8 million people have been sickened by pollution in a single month, while the Indian Punjab has been blamed for Delhi's alarming rise in pollution. With the world doubling down on fossil fuels, the situation is worsening, and experts warn that temporary measures are not enough to tackle the underlying causes of pollution.
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What You'll Learn
Air pollution in Punjab, Pakistan, hospitalises 1.8 million
In November 2024, air pollution in Punjab, Pakistan, reached record-breaking levels, causing an estimated 1.8 million people to fall sick and seek medical attention. The Air Quality Index (AQI) in Lahore, the region's biggest city, with 13 million residents, rose to 1900—over six times higher than the level considered "hazardous" by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The thick, toxic smog blanketing the region led to hundreds of hospitalisations, school closures, and stay-at-home orders.
The Punjab government mandated that residents wear masks and advised them not to leave their homes unless absolutely necessary. To tackle the pollution, authorities created a “smog war room” and implemented strategies such as spraying water on the roads, demolishing environmentally harmful brick kilns, and banning certain polluting vehicles. Despite these efforts, the situation remained critical, with commuters and residents experiencing reduced visibility and a range of health issues.
The extreme air pollution in Punjab, Pakistan, was caused by a combination of factors. Farmers in rural areas burn crops during the winter harvest months to clear their fields, and brick kilns release large amounts of smoke from burning coal. Additionally, unfavourable meteorological conditions, such as slow winds, shallow mixing layers, and cold temperatures, coupled with man-made emissions, contribute to the poor air quality in the region.
While Punjab, India, has also faced criticism for its contribution to air pollution, specifically through crop residue burning, recent studies suggest that industrial, transport, and domestic activities in Delhi and its surrounding areas are more significant factors in the region's carbon monoxide levels. Punjab, India, has maintained moderate pollution levels, even during months when agricultural burning is not a factor. In contrast, Delhi has consistently recorded poor to very poor air quality during the same periods.
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Punjab's air quality is better than Delhi's
In contrast, Punjab's pollution levels remain relatively moderate. For example, in January and February, Delhi's AQI was recorded at 355 (very poor) and 218 (poor), while Punjab's AQI was 149 (moderate) and 112 (moderate). Even during the crop-burning season, when Punjab's air quality is affected, Delhi's pollution levels are significantly higher.
Historical data also supports this trend. In 2024, Delhi recorded an AQI of 176 in March, while Punjab's AQI was 99. The previous year, in 2023, Delhi's AQI was 170 in March, compared to Punjab's AQI of 100. Going back further, in 2022, 2021, 2020, and 2019, Delhi's AQI consistently exceeded that of Punjab during the first three months of each year.
While Punjab's air quality is better than Delhi's, it is important to note that both regions struggle with pollution. In 2024, Punjab, the region in Pakistan, experienced record-high air pollution levels, leading to hospitalizations, school closures, and stay-at-home orders. This was attributed to a combination of factors, including crop burning and brick kiln emissions.
To summarize, while Punjab and Delhi both experience air pollution, Punjab's air quality is relatively better. Delhi's poor air quality is a result of its own internal pollution sources and weather conditions, which cause a build-up of pollutants throughout the year.
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Crop burning is not the main cause of Delhi's pollution
Punjab, a state in northern India, has been facing severe air pollution, which has affected the neighbouring regions, including Delhi. While crop stubble burning is a significant contributor to air pollution in the region, it is not the primary cause of Delhi's pollution.
Crop residue burning is a common practice in Punjab, where farmers burn leftover straw or stubble to clear the soil for the next crop. This practice has led to a public health crisis, with the fumes polluting the air and endangering the health of millions of people. Experts estimate that farmers in northern India burn about 23 million tonnes of paddy stubble every year. The smoke from these fires can travel as far as Delhi, 250 km away, adding to the city's air pollution.
However, several other factors contribute to Delhi's air pollution. Vehicle emissions, industrial emissions, energy emissions, and dust are significant contributors to the city's poor air quality. These sources account for up to 70% of the year-round PM2.5 emissions in Delhi. The transport sector, including vehicular emissions and biomass burning, plays a significant role in Delhi's pollution. Residential activities, such as cooking, also contribute to the problem. Construction activities and dust from fields and other sources further worsen the air quality.
The impact of crop burning on Delhi's pollution varies throughout the year. During the winter months, crop stubble burning can account for up to 50% of Delhi's air pollution. However, on average, Delhi's internal sources contribute to about 60% of its air pollutants, with the remaining 30-40% coming from external sources. The share of stubble burning in Delhi's pollution can range from 1% to 42%, depending on wind speed and direction. While stubble burning is a significant issue, it is not the sole or primary cause of Delhi's pollution.
To address Delhi's pollution effectively, a multi-faceted approach is necessary. While efforts to control stubble burning in the winter months are crucial, steps must also be taken to reduce pollution from other sources throughout the year. This includes implementing measures in the transport, industrial, residential, and construction sectors. By tackling each contributing factor, Delhi and the surrounding regions can work towards improving their air quality and mitigating the health risks associated with air pollution.
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Punjab's pollution causes school closures
In November 2024, hazardous levels of air pollution in the Punjab region of Pakistan triggered hundreds of hospitalizations and school closures. The Air Quality Index (AQI) in Lahore, the region's biggest city, rose to 1900, over six times the level considered "hazardous" by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The Punjab government mandated that all primary and secondary schools shift to remote learning for ten days and instructed half of the workforce to stay home. The hazardous air quality was caused by a confluence of factors, including crop burning during the winter harvest months in rural areas, smoke from coal-burning brick kilns, and transport emissions.
In contrast, the Indian state of Punjab has maintained moderate pollution levels in recent years, even during months when agricultural burning is not a factor. For example, in January and February, when Delhi's air quality fell into the 'poor' and 'very poor' categories, Punjab reported no stubble burning and moderate AQI levels. However, NASA's Fire Information for Resource Management System showed a massive concentration of fires stemming from farmlands in Punjab in October 2023, causing a spike in pollution levels in Delhi.
While the Indian state of Punjab has not experienced school closures due to pollution, the neighboring state of Delhi has. In November 2023, Delhi's pollution crisis hit 'severe' levels, forcing school closures and halting non-essential construction activities. The spike in pollution levels was attributed to smoke from crop residue burning in Punjab and Haryana, combined with a drop in temperature and winds in North India.
In summary, while the Punjab region in Pakistan has experienced school closures due to hazardous levels of air pollution, the Indian state of Punjab has maintained moderate pollution levels, with no reported school closures. However, the state has contributed to the pollution crisis in neighboring Delhi, leading to school closures there.
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India's wind blows smog into Punjab, Pakistan
In November 2024, Punjab in Pakistan experienced record-high air pollution levels. The Air Quality Index (AQI) in Lahore, the region's biggest city, rose to 1900, over six times the level considered "hazardous". The toxic smog triggered hundreds of hospitalizations, school closures, and stay-at-home orders.
The senior minister of Punjab, Marriyum Aurangzeb, attributed the smog to "winds from India" and stated that she would write to the Indian government to address the issue of cross-border pollution. Aurangzeb urged people to stay indoors, especially the elderly and children.
Satellite imagery from November 2024 revealed the spread of smog over North India and Pakistan. Arrows indicating wind patterns showed the movement and expansion of smog, severely impacting cities like Lahore and Delhi. The major reason for the smog was the absence of rain during September and October, which had helped reduce particulate matter in previous years.
While Delhi has historically been known for its poor air quality, Lahore surpassed it on several occasions in 2024. The concentration of PM2.5, or tiny particulate matter, in Lahore approached 450, considered hazardous. Experts say that the smog is caused by a combination of factors, including industrial emissions, vehicle exhaust, crop burning, and construction dust.
In both Indian Punjab and Haryana, as well as Pakistan's Punjab province, farmers burn crop stubble to clear fields for the next planting season. This practice, along with unfavourable meteorological conditions, contributes to smoke and pollution in the region. However, a report in the Pakistani newspaper Dawn concluded that crop burning, whether on the Indian or Pakistani side, was not a major contributor to toxic air in Pakistan's Punjab province.
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Frequently asked questions
There is a significant amount of pollution in Punjab, India, and Pakistan's Punjab province. In 2024, Punjab, India, had moderate pollution levels of 149 and 112 in January and February, respectively. In contrast, Delhi's air quality was in the "very poor" category during the same period, with AQIs of 355 and 218.
The sources of pollution in Punjab include the residential sector, agricultural practices such as straw and crop residue burning, industrial sources such as petroleum coke, tyre pyrolysis plants, and traffic congestion.
The health impacts of pollution in Punjab are significant. In Pakistan's Punjab province, an estimated 1.8 million people were sickened by air pollution in a single month in 2024. Respiratory illnesses, eye infections, and cardiac issues are among the health problems associated with the poor air quality in the region.
Efforts to address pollution in Punjab include the mandatory wearing of face masks and the exploration of methods to induce artificial rainfall in Pakistan's Punjab province. In India, the government launched the National Clean Air Programme in 2019, aiming for a 20%-30% reduction in PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations by 2024.
